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Tag: insulin sensitivity

Mini Pause #41: How Nutrition Can Heal Your Hormones

Posted on by stephanie-estima

TL;DR (Too Long; Didn't Read)

Change is a good (and even great) thing when it means you’re open to new research, new understanding, and what we continue to learn about the body. What you need in any area of your life will evolve as you grow, mature, and gain new knowledge. Build a solid foundation that allows you to pivot as your body ages.

WHY

Were your ears ringing this week? I was talking about you, thinking about you, and discussing all the ways we are going to work together.

This week during a meeting with my team, we were talking about the future of Hello Betty, the Bettyverse, and of course, YOU.

We were thinking about what the immediate, midterm, and long-term needs of our Bettys are.

And we stumbled upon nutrition. Someone on social media this week commented that she is aggravated because I have “changed my stance” on carbohydrates and nutrition. And it got me thinking.

Had I changed my opinion? In some cases (like fasting) yes.

But others I have not changed, but simply evolved as my nutritional needs changed over time.

So when someone asks me to exactly describe how I am currently eating / training / recovering, the answer is a bit complicated.

There is what I do now, and there is also the foundation I built so that I can do what I do now.

WHAT

As many of you read in The Betty Body, I used to despise my menstrual cycle. It hurt. I was down for the count three or four weeks every month. I was medicating my pain, hating my body, and feeling like it was a curse to be female.

Looking at my labs back then, I had

  • elevated fasting insulin levels
  • high fasted glucose
  • high estradiol levels relative to my progesterone levels
  • high HbA1c levels (a measure of your blood glucose over the past three months)
  • elevated cholesterol levels (TG, LDL-c, and total) that were higher than what was considered normal
  • elevated hs-CRP (a marker of inflammation)

When I look at my life back then, I had a small group of people who were not real friends, just acquaintances. I was in the wrong marriage. I had young kids and limited support. My hair was falling out. I was anxious. And, if I’m honest, falling out of love with my work. I loved my patients and I loved the private practice, but the volume of paperwork and often incorrect staff hires wore me out.

If you’d told that girl to just eat more protein, don’t be scared of carbs, and just lift heavy weights–I would have fallen flat on my face.

Carbs felt awful in my body, I felt constantly hungry and snacky, and the afternoon energetic slump at 2 p.m. was REAL.

I was still lifting weights during this time, and having an almost identical amount of protein that I do now, but felt none of my hard work showed. My waist-to-hip ratio was not where I wanted it to be, and in my luteal cycle, bloating made it look like I was in my second trimester of pregnancy. My genetics revealed I was very prone to (although never formally diagnosed with) PCOS, as well as being on the spectrum for endometriosis.

So what gives?

The answer lies in the nutritional journey to healing.

HOW

For me (and the thousands of women who have gone through The Estima Diet), I needed to establish insulin sensitivity again.

I needed to go low carb first before I could go higher carb. I needed to mildly restrict protein for a bit (my formal thinking hypothesis here is that with protein restriction, you also get methionine restriction–a topic for another Mini Pause), and I just needed to drop some water weight and bloating.

This was the birth of Phase 1 of the Estima Diet.

Then I started cycling my macros with my menstrual cycle and Phase 2 of The Estima Diet was born.

I followed this style of eating for years. In doing so, I watched all my labs normalize, to the point now where my hsCRP now is undetectable, my glucose and insulin are optimal, and my cholesterol (all markers) are pristine.

As I built this foundation of metabolic health, I was able to easily transition to the type of diet I have now in my 40s. If I had to start over again, that would be the path I would take:

  • Estima Diet Phase 1

  • Estima Diet Phase 2

  • Move into the Maintenance Phase, with higher protein and carbs to suit my training demands

You’ve heard me say this before and I’ll continue to say it: The diet you follow to heal is not the one you will follow forever.

The diet that heals you is the one that sets you up for metabolic health so that you have the option to play with different styles of eating later on. With estimates that 88-92% of North Americans are metabolically unhealthy and meet the criteria for Metabolic Syndrome, it's likely that you might also fall into that category.

I did for years.

NOW

  • If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of The Betty Body and follow the nutrition plan in the book.
  • That program saved me, it saved my patients, and saved the thousands of women who went through the program.
  • Stay tuned in the coming months as we revise The Estima Diet in a whole new way. I can’t say much yet, but I can reveal it is going to be a game-changer in the industry.
  • Along with The Estima Diet relaunch, we are going to debut new programs for those of you who want to go deeper into your health journey and work with me.

If you have gone through The Estima Diet and are ready for more, as well as those of you interested in taking your health in a new direction, reply “ESTIMA DIET” to support@drstephanieestima.com.

We're Making a Q&A Change

You've asked and I've answered 40 questions in this column this year. Thank you to all my Bettys who took the time to write in and ask such great questions!

In September, we began offering full Ask Me Anything episodes in the new EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership. Each month we open up a new AMA to member questions on a specific topic. These Qs form the foundation of a full AMA episode which appears in the members' private podcast feed and on their membership dashboard.

Now that this membership feature is available, we'll be sunsetting the Mini Pause QOTW. To continue to get your questions answered about Meals, Muscle, Mindset and (Peri) Menopause (and more!), I'd love for you to join us in the EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership community.

Membership benefits are outlined for you directly below. You can sign up HERE.

What I Recommend: Sauna

Adding regular sauna sessions into my routine has made a significant difference in my recovery and overall health. The science is clear on sauna benefits. For their 25th Anniversary, Sunlighten is offering up to $600 off PLUS a FREE gift with purchase through Oct. 31. The FREE gift with purchase includes an at-home biomarker panel test and educational webinar.

  • The biomarker panel test covers 17 markers across six categories (Lipid and Cardiovascular Markers, Metabolic Health, Inflammation, Hormonal Health, Thyroid Function, and Nutritional Status).
  • The webinar will be hosted by Dr. Darshan Shah, who will dive deeper into understanding these biomarkers.

Link HERE to more about the Sunlighten sauna models and take advantage of this special promotion.

Now Open: EVEN BETTER! Premium Membership Subscription

Members have immediate access to numerous content pieces, with more coming online. The membership benefits were designed with input and insights from my community of women. Here's what you'll find within the membership:

  • Early and ad-free access to the weekly Better! podcasts.
  • A downloadable action guide for each podcast episode.
  • Private “Ask Me Anything” episodes based on member questions.
  • Surprise guests and solo shows only for members.
  • My insights from the guest discussion coupled with recommendations you can use to build habits and routines that support your goals.
  • Bonus content beyond the podcast episodes.
  • Exclusive discounts for brands I love.
  • Being a part of a community with like-minded Bettys!

Subscribe HERE to find several introductory membership options to fit your budget.

Mini Pause #12: The Power of Plyometrics

Posted on by stephanie-estima

Plyometrics for the Win! Improve Your Bone Density, Balance, Coordination, Muscle Growth & Insulin Sensitivity

TL,DR (too long, didn't read)

Plyometrics help to drive bone density, balance, coordination, and muscle growth. They help to improve insulin sensitivity–and make you feel like Wonder Woman!

WHY

Let’s continue the Mini Pause series on type 2 fiber training. Last week I spoke about Speed Training (Mini Pause #11 if you missed it!). This week I want to dive into plyometrics, which uses burst and explosive power.

Plyos are another way to train fast-twitch muscle fibers, and like speed training, these can also be done with high or low impact.

We spoke last week about the anabolic and hormonal effects of speed training. Training the top end of your cardiometabolic capacity matters as much as training our bottom end (Zone 2). Plyometrics presents an awesome opportunity to train type 2 fibers and preserve power and neural recruitment.

WHAT

Plyometrics have been shown to drive several desirable results in the body namely:

Stronger Bones & Connective Tissues

In women of all ages, burst activities like jumping and plyometrics have been shown to improve bone density [*] and reduce the incidence of lower-body injury in female athletes [*]. This has also been demonstrated in menopausal and post-menopausal women [*], as well.

Considering women are most likely to develop osteopenia and eventually osteoporosis, this should be the biggest motivator for the preservation of bone health as you age.

Better Coordination & Proprioception

Technically, there are a lot of things happening when you initiate a jump:

  • the neural recruitment of desired muscles via the efferent motor nerves,
  • your joint position sense in the starting position,
  • your brain predicting where you will end up in space at the end position,
  • the kinetic energy stored and released in the muscle cell,
  • the muscle sensors detecting stretch and deformation as you jump,
  • and, of course, the flexibility of the joints being used to work through their full range of motion.

That’s a lot! When you train your neuromuscular system through jumping, you improve your balance and coordination, and your proprioception (which is your unconscious sense: it is how you know where your joints are without looking at them).

As women age, in combination with osteopenia, they also lose joint position sense, which can contribute to tripping and falling.

Anabolic / Muscle Growth

Plyometrics have demonstrated a strong signal for muscle growth [*]. So whether you are training plyometrics alone, or combining with resistance training [*], this is a great way to continue to build muscle in your 40s, 50s, and beyond.

Insulin Sensitivity

Power and burst training both have been shown to help improve insulin sensitivity [*]. The short burst of explosive power drives insulin receptors normally hiding in the cell to the cell surface to be able to acquire more glucose for energy production.

You Feel Like Wonder Woman!

I don’t know about you, but when I can jump onto a plyo box or complete squat jumps, I feel like a beast. And isn’t that at least part of the point of power training? To make you feel…. well… powerful? I walk just a little bit taller when I finish.

HOW

Plyometrics can be done both at higher and lower impact levels. If you are uneasy jumping or nursing an injury, rebounders are a great option as they absorb most of the ground reactive forces of landing. You also can perform plyometrics in a swimming pool.

Beginner

  • Bunny Hops: Standing with your feet slightly apart, knees are not locked out, find a hallway or a corridor, and “hop” or “jump” as high as you can while traveling forward slightly. Just in time for Easter! Feel free to practice this on your easter egg hunts.

Intermediate

  • Bunny Hop Switches: This is essentially a one-legged Bunny Hop that alternates between the left and the right foot. Lift your left leg (bending the knee so it’s as high as your hip) with the right leg on the floor, hop four times on the right foot, and then switch legs. Repeat down the corridor.

Advanced

  • Box Jumps: You know now that being advanced is just mastering the basics and executing them well. This plyo is essentially a “giant” bunny hop with height and flexion. Start with a low box (they start as low as six inches). Stand in front of the box. Bend your knees deeply and pause at the bottom to remove all kinetic energy from the Achilles. Explode up and land on the box with both feet.

NOW

Add plyos to your next workout after you’re warmed up. I typically add them onto the end of a weight training workout that is not legs. If I’m training shoulders or back, I can insert a quick 10-minute plyo finisher at the end.

Question of the Week

Q: What is your go-to lunch?

I don’t like to have to think too hard about lunch. I usually throw together a salad that has a good amount of protein and fat. I prep lots of different salad items on a Sunday so I can toss them together for the week. I try to think about my food from the following verticals: fiber, protein, fats, and carbs. I organize my fridge shelves to support each of these goals.

  • Base: I have glass Tupperware in my fridge with pre-cut lettuce. I like crunch, so usually this is a cabbage or coleslaw mix. Romaine hearts also make the cut, and if I’ve run out of all of the above, then I take sauerkraut from the jar and use that!
  • Protein: This is usually slow-cooked pulled chicken that I spice with Lebanese spices, but this could be ground beef or turkey, or leftover protein from dinner the night before.
  • Carbs: I love to add potatoes or rice. And I love them cold. The other thing I’ve been enjoying lately is my homemade sourdough croutons. When my sourdough bread gets stale, I cut it up, marinate with olive oil and salt, and bake the pieces at 325F for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Fats: Bacon bits, ranch salad dressing, olive oil, avocados, or nuts.
  • Herbs: I really love dried herbs, and I’m pretty liberal with their use. Herbs de Provence, Zaatar, Everything but the Bagel, sesame seeds, Rosemary leaves, Herbamare…. I love it all!

YOUR TURN!

I'll be answering your questions every week right here in the Mini Pause! Let me know what's on your mind. I'll be checking for both questions and feedback at support@drstephanieestima.com.

WHAT I RECOMMEND: Embr Labs

Conversation in the Bettyverse often lands on thermoregulation during perimenopause and menopause. You’re either too hot (flushes!) or too cold. I’ve been searching for a solution for you and finally found it in the Embr Wave 2.

You wear this device on your wrist. (I love mine in rose gold because it looks like a gorgeous bracelet!) The Embr Wave 2 stimulates the nerves that sense temperature, so with the push of a button, you can change how hot or cold you feel. Consider it your personal thermostat.

Learn more about its science at https://embrlabs.com. If you're intrigued, use code DRSTEPHANIE for 15% off.